This month the Ontario government announced new financial literacy programming for elementary schools that will be available to teachers starting this fall. The announcement follows the education ministry’s earlier news in May that provincial high‑school curricula will change, including the reintroduction of home economics beginning in 2025. These developments are welcome for parents who worry whether their children are learning practical, real‑world money skills at home.
Not long ago, I found my 11‑year‑old daughter Matilda camped in front of my laptop, methodically adding volumes from her new favourite young‑adult fantasy series to Amazon’s cart. When I asked whether any of the books were on sale or at the library, she didn’t hesitate to click “Add to Cart.”
Sigh. Teaching children about money isn’t easy. To be clear, I don’t buy everything Matilda puts in a cart, and she isn’t a reckless spender. But that moment stopped me. Does she really know each book costs $15.99? Does she consider whether that price is worthwhile when she’ll inhale a 500‑page book in a weekend?
Like many parents, I try to seize everyday moments to talk about money. Comparing grocery prices, paying bills in an app, withdrawing cash at an ATM and online shopping are all natural opportunities to discuss how we earn, save and spend. Still, it can be hard to know how much to explain and how to make money conversations relevant and engaging. I often wonder whether the lessons are sinking in. It’s reassuring to know students in our province will soon get more classroom instruction on financial literacy as well.
Getting schooled about financial education
New math education objectives tied to financial literacy will take effect in September 2025 as part of a major overhaul of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. For example, grade 10 math will include learning how to balance a household budget and how to protect oneself from financial fraud. Students will also be required to pass a financial literacy test with a grade of at least 70% in order to graduate.
In the coming school year, younger students will also gain access to more lessons about money. With a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Education, elementary students will be offered structured opportunities to learn financial basics.
In partnership with Desjardins, four organizations will deliver workshops provincewide for students in grade 4 and up: Impact ON, EBO Financial Education Centre, Ontario Co‑operative Association and the YMCA of Greater Toronto. Impact ON reports that this collaboration will make it possible to offer more than 415 workshops to at least 12,450 students by the end of March 2025.
What students will learn from Ontario’s new financial literacy workshops
Here is an overview of the programming and what students can expect to learn.
For grades 1 to 6
Three interactive modules, each 45 minutes to one hour long, combine quizzes, role‑playing and videos to make financial concepts engaging for young learners. For this age group, the modules focus on:
- Different methods of payment (cash, coins, notes, basic electronic payments)
- Talking about money and cooperation in shared decisions
- Estimating the relative value of goods and simple decision making
For grades 7 to 9
Six one‑hour workshops aim to build a foundation of practical money management. Students will explore concepts that affect day‑to‑day and future finances, such as financial security, cost of living and the importance of building savings. Topics include:
- Budgeting basics and tracking expenses
- Completing transactions and understanding receipts
- Saving strategies and setting short‑term goals
- Security, fraud awareness and online safety
- An introduction to credit and how it works
- Basic investment concepts and long‑term planning
For grades 10 and up
An interactive program of four courses is presented in 20‑ to 30‑minute segments that teachers can assemble into hour‑long lessons. The material reflects the financial realities teens and young adults face, including how to use a credit card responsibly and how to create and maintain a personal budget. Core themes include:
- Money and peace of mind: managing stress and expectations around money
- Planning and defining a major project or purchase
- Understanding savings versus investment and how each serves different goals
- Everyday money matters: bills, banking, and cost‑of‑living considerations
Other ways to build financial literacy for kids and teens
Parents can complement classroom lessons with a range of free, age‑appropriate resources. The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education offers a program called “Talk With Our Kids About Money,” which provides games, crafts and short videos suitable for children aged 5 to 16.
For tweens and teens, there are practical online resources that offer budgeting calculators, guidance on responsible spending, tips for earning extra money and tools for setting both short‑term and long‑term savings goals. These resources also encourage thoughtful giving—suggesting ways to contribute time and skills to causes kids care about if they have limited cash to donate.
There are many books, apps and classroom materials designed to help parents and children talk about money. I plan to use several of these tools to support my daughters’ financial learning, while relying on schools to reinforce those lessons. I’m the first to admit I’m not the perfect teacher—especially on personal finance—so the added classroom focus is welcome.
As for Matilda’s recent book shopping, we agreed the second instalment of The Stolen Heir duology was worth buying. She paid half with her allowance and I covered the rest. We decided this made sense because she had borrowed the first book from a friend and could return the favour by sharing the second. Many of the author’s other books are available at the library, too, so when she finishes the duology there will likely be more options at no extra cost.
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